Sima Qian: The Han Dynasty's Grand Historian

Sima Qian, the 'Grand Historian' of Han China, created the Shiji, a monumental history that set the standard for Chinese historical writing for two millennia. This episode explores his life: his travels as a young man, his fateful defense of a disgraced general that led to his castration, his choice to endure the punishment rather than die honorably, and the writing of the Shiji from his study at the imperial court. We discuss his radical approach to history—including his inclusion of biographies of merchants, assassins, and jesters alongside emperors and generals—and how his personal suffering shaped his vision. Sima Qian's work is contrasted with the official Han shu written later by Ban Gu, highlighting the political pressures and personal costs of recording history under an authoritarian empire.

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